Tourism
Ah, Halong Bay, where the reality of travel meets the glossy brochure and social media pics. Come to Halong Bay, they said. Marvel at its towering limestone islands, its caves, its pristine beaches! What they failed to mention was that ‘marveling’ would take place elbow-to-elbow with half the population of the planet, all armed with selfie sticks.
The official itinerary promised a "traditional junk-style vessel" for an overnight cruise through the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Halong Bay. What it did not mention was that tradition apparently involves lining up for eternity alongside thousands of fellow travelers enjoying the quayside’s architecture which has perfected the "charmingly derelict" aesthetic, boarding one of the identical fleet of hundreds of boats, and setting sail in formation, like a school of slightly confused fish.
Enjoy a seafood lunch before taking part in some afternoon activities such as swimming, relaxing on a remote beach, climbing to the top of a lookout for an amazing panoramic view or taking a ride on a rowing boat into a secluded bay! Reality: You gaze wistfully at the beach, described as ‘remote’ but functioning more as a waiting room for hordes of all looking for the amenities, while only six brave souls attempt to swim in water that calls itself seawater but identifies as something significantly murkier, and freezing. (Of course I had to be one of them ;)
Then, the climb to the lookout—because who doesn’t love hundreds of steep stairs behind hundreds of other people, many of whom would struggle to climb onto the lounge, and the occasional tourist attempting the ascent in high heels. Pro tip: survival odds improve dramatically if you don’t get stuck behind a slow-moving conga line of people clearly regretting the fact thay started the climb and have now realised they have to climb back down at some stage.
Kayaking into a ‘secluded’ bay? Certainly not secluded for the monkeys, who have developed an interest in tourism and now turn out in force for their daily viewing of The Human Parade. You will not be alone. If you hire a kayak as we did instead of sitting on the boat with fellow adventurers you get a small touch of alone, but will inevitably collide with the next ‘secluded’ kayaker attempting to experience tranquility under the watchful gaze of a thousand boats. And monkeys.
Overnight anchorage sounds peaceful, unless you’re unfamiliar with the melodious call of karaoke. Every boat, cabin, guest joins the great floating cacophony across the bay, belting out classics with the vocal precision of a strangled duck. The monkeys in the bay probably sing better. Actually, they definitely sing better. I know my limits and singing is one of them I'm thankful to say.
Morning arrives, and the Surprise Cave awaits! The surprise, of course, being the sheer number of kayaks attempting to navigate it at once. Picture an aquatic traffic jam with stalactites. People forgetting to duck and hitting their head on the cave roof make the most wonderful sounds that echo around the cave. It’s quite fun, assuming your definition of ‘fun’ includes accidentally being rammed by another tourist’s boat.
My view is that Halong Bay is still a must-visit, an experience, a spectacle, an ode to natural beauty struggling under the weight of rampant tourism and discarded plastic bottles. SOmething needs to be done to restrict visitors and help the area recover.
I know I was contributing to the over-tourism and feel a bit guilty about that, but I had no idea it would be like that. I blame the brochures and social media!
Thanks kindly for any likes/comments, they are always appreciated.
Waterscape 26/100 in 2025
Tourism
Ah, Halong Bay, where the reality of travel meets the glossy brochure and social media pics. Come to Halong Bay, they said. Marvel at its towering limestone islands, its caves, its pristine beaches! What they failed to mention was that ‘marveling’ would take place elbow-to-elbow with half the population of the planet, all armed with selfie sticks.
The official itinerary promised a "traditional junk-style vessel" for an overnight cruise through the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Halong Bay. What it did not mention was that tradition apparently involves lining up for eternity alongside thousands of fellow travelers enjoying the quayside’s architecture which has perfected the "charmingly derelict" aesthetic, boarding one of the identical fleet of hundreds of boats, and setting sail in formation, like a school of slightly confused fish.
Enjoy a seafood lunch before taking part in some afternoon activities such as swimming, relaxing on a remote beach, climbing to the top of a lookout for an amazing panoramic view or taking a ride on a rowing boat into a secluded bay! Reality: You gaze wistfully at the beach, described as ‘remote’ but functioning more as a waiting room for hordes of all looking for the amenities, while only six brave souls attempt to swim in water that calls itself seawater but identifies as something significantly murkier, and freezing. (Of course I had to be one of them ;)
Then, the climb to the lookout—because who doesn’t love hundreds of steep stairs behind hundreds of other people, many of whom would struggle to climb onto the lounge, and the occasional tourist attempting the ascent in high heels. Pro tip: survival odds improve dramatically if you don’t get stuck behind a slow-moving conga line of people clearly regretting the fact thay started the climb and have now realised they have to climb back down at some stage.
Kayaking into a ‘secluded’ bay? Certainly not secluded for the monkeys, who have developed an interest in tourism and now turn out in force for their daily viewing of The Human Parade. You will not be alone. If you hire a kayak as we did instead of sitting on the boat with fellow adventurers you get a small touch of alone, but will inevitably collide with the next ‘secluded’ kayaker attempting to experience tranquility under the watchful gaze of a thousand boats. And monkeys.
Overnight anchorage sounds peaceful, unless you’re unfamiliar with the melodious call of karaoke. Every boat, cabin, guest joins the great floating cacophony across the bay, belting out classics with the vocal precision of a strangled duck. The monkeys in the bay probably sing better. Actually, they definitely sing better. I know my limits and singing is one of them I'm thankful to say.
Morning arrives, and the Surprise Cave awaits! The surprise, of course, being the sheer number of kayaks attempting to navigate it at once. Picture an aquatic traffic jam with stalactites. People forgetting to duck and hitting their head on the cave roof make the most wonderful sounds that echo around the cave. It’s quite fun, assuming your definition of ‘fun’ includes accidentally being rammed by another tourist’s boat.
My view is that Halong Bay is still a must-visit, an experience, a spectacle, an ode to natural beauty struggling under the weight of rampant tourism and discarded plastic bottles. SOmething needs to be done to restrict visitors and help the area recover.
I know I was contributing to the over-tourism and feel a bit guilty about that, but I had no idea it would be like that. I blame the brochures and social media!
Thanks kindly for any likes/comments, they are always appreciated.
Waterscape 26/100 in 2025